Bottle-labeling machine.



No. 699,884. Pateqted May I3, i902.

C. LEFFLER..

BOTTLE LABELING MACHINE.

`Applicaton led Feb, 28, 1900.)

ma Nonms PETERS coA PHoToLITao., WASHINGTON, D c,

Uivrrnp STATES PATENT OFFICE,

CHARLES LEFFLER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

BOTTLE-LABELING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,884, dated May 13, 1902.

Application filed February 28,1900. Serial No. 6,865. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES LEFFLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, in the borough of Brooklyn and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle Labeling Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to bottle-labeling machines, the object being to produce a machine which will apply a label to the neck of a bottle simultaneously with the application of the label to the body of the bottle.

A further object is to provide means for dating the labels during the operation of applying them to the bottles.

In Patent No. 669,174, issued to lne March 5, 1901, I have described a bottle-labeling machine by means of which the labels are applied to the body of the bottle.

The present invention, which provides for4 the application of labels to the neck of the bottle simultaneously with the application of the labels to the body thereof, is intended to be used in conjunction with the machine described in the before-mentioned application, and reference is accordingly made to said application for a detailed description of the laheling-machine referred to therein.

According to the present invention the devices for applying labels to the neck of the bottle are similar in every respect to the devices for applying the label to the body of the bottle, which devices are all described in the application above referred to.

The feature of novelty in the present case resides in the fact of operating the two devices at an angle to each other to correspond with the angular relation between the neck of the bottle and its body.

The other feature of novelty in the present case, relating to the printing of the date upon the label, consists in attaching the type and its inking apparatus to oscillatin g arms which are actuated by a part reciprocating in unison with the label-holder, as will be hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing the ligure represents in vertical section a labeling-machine adapted to apply labels to the bodies of bottles and in side elevation a similar labeling-machine adapted to apply labels to the necks of the bottles, the two machines being mechanically connected and arranged to operate simultaneously upon the bottles.

The labeling-machine consists in general of a bottle-carrier, a part only of Which is indicated at B. This device, which holds the bottle in a horizontal position by means of clamps c, c', and o8, moves the bottle downward through the label-applying devices, one being located upon each side of the bottle, as shown in the drawing. These label-applying devices are exactly similar, except that the one occupying the right-hand position Works at an angle to the other to conform to the inclined side of the neck of the bottle. The label-applying devices consist in general of an intermittently-rotating cross-head e, having a fork e at eachend, between the arms of which the bottle is carried. While a bottle is passing through one fork and taking the label therefrom a label is being applied to thel other fork by a vertically-reciprocating labelfholderj, mounted on `the upper end of a rod I. The cross-head e and its actuating and coperating mechanism constitute a 1abel-transferring mechanism for transferring the label from the label-holder to the point where it is applied to the bottle. The crosshead is moved by the shaft O, which is driven from shaft a5 through the bevel-gearing a and a7, the shaft o5 receiving power through the sprocket-Wheel a4. The intermittent motion of the cross-head is obtained by an arrangement of cams andbolts described in the patent above referred to. The vertical reciprocating movement of the label-carrying rod I is obtained through the crank as and the block m.

For applying power to the necklabeling machine the two shafts c5 are connected together by an extensible shaft N, having universal joints n, which permits the two shafts to operate at an angle to each other. The en- IOC) be adj usted so that cross-head e will work in a plane parallel to the inclined sides of the neck of the bottle.

It is obvious that by changing the position of the bottle-carrier the neek-label-applying devices may be operated in an upright position, and it is likewise obvious that the devices for applying the label to the body of the bottle might be made to operate at an angle and the neck-labeling devices upright, so that it will be understood that it is the possibility of operating the machines at relative angles to each other and to the bottle that is the essence of my invention. Another important fact is that I simultaneously apply the'body and neck labels to the bottle and this without reference to the shape of Ithe bottle-neck, for the label could be applied to a straightneck bottle by operating both machines in an upright position. The term bottle used herein is synonymous with package It is desirable sometimes to print a date on the label when it is applied to the bottle, and for this purpose I iiX the typet in the end of an arm t', pivoted to a bracket at t2. This arm is vibrated in unison with the labelholder by means of the lever u, pivoted at u and engaging at one end with the block m and at the other with a rod V, connecting it with the armA t. Thus when the label-holder rises the type lowers to meet it and passes between the fork of the cross-head c and makes an impression on the back of the top label. To ink the type, an inking-roller w is caused to swing across the face of the type twice for each impression by means of the rod w', pivoted eccentrically to the arm t and connected with a pivoted arm wg, carrying the roller.

I-Iaving described my invention, I claim- 1. In a bottle-labeling machine, the combination with abottle-carrier, of a label-applying mechanism cooperating therewith and means for adjusting the relative angular position of the carrier and label-applying mechanism.

2. In a bottle-labeling machine, the co1nbination with a bottle-carrier, of two label-applyin g mechanisms coperatin g therewith and means for adjusting the relative angular positions of the label-applying mechanisms.

3. In a bottle-labeling machine, the combination with a bottle-carrier, of two label-applying mechanisms coperating therewith means for adjusting the relative angular position of the label-applying mechanisms, the drivin g-shafts of the two label-applyin g mechanisms being connected together.

4. In a bottle-labeling machine, the combif nation of a reciprocating label-holder, a printing device adapted to print on the top labell in the holder, a reciprocating member and a system of levers between the reciprocating member and the printing device substantially as described.

In Witness whereof Isubscribe my signatu re in presence of two witnesses.

CHAS. LEFFLER.

Witnesses WM. A. ROSENBAUM, CLARENCE E. AQKERLY. 

